Engine locked up???
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Newbie
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2
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From: Texas
Engine locked up???
I am working on my aunts 89 Rx7. She stored it about 3 years ago while it was running. Now the starter will not turn the engine over. I actually pulled the car with a truck and let out on the clutch to see if the engine would turn over but all it did was locked the rear wheels. I tried this in all gears. I am a v8 guy and don't know anything about the rotary engine but would like to help my aunt get her RX7 back on the road. Does anyone have any ideas on this one??? Is the engine locked up... it seems that way. Thanks in advance. Sorry for being so rotary ignert....
Last edited by kmw; Sep 5, 2003 at 06:22 AM.
Old [Sch|F]ool
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 12,855
Likes: 567
From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
It's probably carbon locked. Chunks of carbon can wedge the sliding seals agaist the housings and prevent the engine from turning. The way to fix carbon lock is to fill the engine with an anti-carbon (I prefer a strong carb cleaner like NAPA brand) through the spark plug holes (all four!) and SLOWLY, CAREFULLY, PAINSTAKINGLY work the engine back and forth via the flywheel ring gear until it can rotate freely at least 3 full rotations in each direction.
The way not to do it is to pop the clutch like you did - that usually breaks stuff inside. You can still try to free the engine up, but your chances of success are now somewhat lower.
The way not to do it is to pop the clutch like you did - that usually breaks stuff inside. You can still try to free the engine up, but your chances of success are now somewhat lower.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 355
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From: Albany, New York
I would agree with peejay.It may be a good time to rebuild because even if you get it freed up,chances are good that it will either happen again or worse break an apex seal.It would be better to do it now than later.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2
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From: Texas
I appreciate the info. After doing a little reading I kind of figured that I shouldn't have tried pulling it. I will go ahead and try the carb cleaner like peejay suggested. Luckily I pulled it on a dirt road so maybe I'll get lucky and didn't break anything. Thanks for the help.
hambre y sueño
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 300
Likes: 1
From: 80* >
I "unlocked" an engine with ATF in the spark plug holes and in the exhaust ports. I let it settle for weeks and periodically the car was rocked back and forth while in gear. Eventually it "unlocked" and I got the engine running 
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